The country's exports dipped by 1.2 per cent to USD 310.5 billion in 2014-15 as against USD 314.4 billion in the previous fiscal (2013-14). Exports started declining since October 2014 and contracted to 21.1 per cent in March, the biggest fall in last six years.

"Conflict and security have also loomed large in this region posing a constant challenge to a common developmental agenda. Without a satisfactory resolution to the different intra and international conflicts which plague this region, the goals of inclusive development cannot be realised," Manmohan Singh said.

The report on the 500 MW project, to be jointly implemented by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and Ceylon Electricity Board, has been already sent to the island nation. It will only be the second project of its kind, after the transnational 2,000 MW power transmission line between Britain and France.

Bulging world stockpiles and waning demand from China - intent on supporting its own growers - are hurting state-run Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), which is set to suffer its steepest loss in at least six years from sales in the current season.

Bangladesh, who romped into the quarter finals of the World Cup for the first time, are likely to take on India in the quarter finals, provided that they finish fourth in the group and the title holders expectedly finish at the top of group-B.

While an understanding of what entices people to terror may be useful in preventing a larger numbers from heading in that direction, it is physically impossible in diverse societies to really prevent people from moving towards this fatal attraction.

Among the more contestable U-turns are the alleged BJP promise to bring back black money in 100 days, failure to check cross-border incursions by China, resuming talks with Pakistan and then calling them off, and having a jumbo-sized ministry.

The only reason SAARC exists is to give the members an appearance of amity; the only reason it cannot be shut down completely is because it gives China an opening to create its own South Asian Forum by excluding India.

Despite alleged differences between various fundamentalist groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda or Boko Haram in Nigeria, they are all united on one issue: that the world must be ruled by Islam. Which brand of Islam must prevail will be settled later â€“ equally murderously.